How to Identify an Inferior Quality Essential Oil

It’s not a secret to anyone around here that we use Young Living. I once thought all essential oils were the same because they all said “100% Pure”. However, after experience different results with varying brands, I wanted to do know the answer to why. After months of research I decided they were the best option out there based on a variety of factors. Today I’m not here to sell you on Young Living. I’m only here to educate you on factors that prove the quality so you can pick a company that you feel like fits you to get your essential oils.

The biggest issue is the regulations. The US FDA standards are extremely lax. It’s only required that an essential oil brand have 5% pure oil in a bottle (which is more like a suggestion than a hard lined requirement) to label it as 100% pure oil. That means they are allowed to have 95+% of the bottle be a carrier oil, synthetic material or even alcohol – and they don’t have to disclose it. I don’t know about you but to me that’s really scary.

It’s likely that you have picked up an oil or two at the local grocery (I did before I knew what I do now) or seen them at a variety of discount retailers. They are accessible everywhere and a new essential oil company is popping up everyday. It’s so important to be educated about what you are really buying. Today we are discussing some of the ways to know more about the quality of the oil you might be considering using.

The Source of the Oils

It’s important to me to know where my oils are coming from and that the manufacturer of my oils are involved in the process and know exactly what is going on in these farms. Most essential oil companies go through essential oil companies are are solely part of a co-op of farms and they receive the end product at the end of the process for them to sell. A vast majority of brands on the market only go off the trust of what their broker says instead of doing the work and being involved themselves. Young Living is the only company that has their own farms and partner with farms being directly involved in every step of the process anywhere our plants, resins, and trees are grown.

The Price of the Oils.

If the price of an essential oil is “too good to be true” it likely is. If you are finding a bottle of Frankincense for under $30, you should run. Like with anything, you are going to pay for quality and not all oils are the same. I’ve heard from many that they think Young Living is marked up because it’s an MLM business. Incorrect. The oils are higher because of the process they go through and the quality that Young Living produces.

Young Living is involved in every single step of the process when it comes to their oils and they test at all of the steps, as well. They test the seed all the way up to the final product. If it’s not pristine, it never goes up for sale, it’s recycled into the farm. D. Gary Young himself has said he will never make an oil for profit, only a purpose.

(Commissions? Those are paid out of a marketing budget. Instead of paying ads and ridiculous marketing costs, they are giving that to the distributors because that’s what they are doing.)

The Experience and Reputation of the Oil Company.

With the continued popularity of essential oils in recent years, there are many companies that are now offering essential oils. There are brand new companies doing this and there are also established companies, like Scentsy, that have added them to their product line after seeing how popular they are. (Note: Scentsy oils are aromatic only). It’s vital to do your research. One of the many reasons I chose Young Living is that their experience and quality is unmatched. Being around since 1993, long before oils and oil businesses were “cool”, Young Living is a pioneer of the industry.

I spent a year trying oils, researching brands and deciding what was best for my family. If I was jumping in feet first, I wanted to make sure it was the absolute best for my family. I looked at integrity, reputation and quality. Young Living stood out long past anyone else and I’ve ever regretted my choice.

The “Expiration Date” Of the Oils.

100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils do not expire. Essential oils laden with chemicals and carrier oils do. If there is an expiration date on an oil you are picking up, put it right back down and walk away. The cheaper the oil, the more likely it will have an expiration date.

The Labeling Instructions.

It’s vital to read the directions on any oil that you are purchasing. There are three ways that you can use an essential oil – topically, aromatically, and internally. If an oil of any kind says “for aromatic use only” but reads 100% pure you should think before buying. Anything that is therapeutic-grade, 100% pure essential should be able to also be used topically. Many oils on the market that read “for aromatic use only” are Grade D essential oils which means they are made from the “trash water” from Grade A oils and then marked as pure either as is, or diluted even further. If you read the bottle on something you know typically can be ingested (ex. lemon, peppermint, orange, tangerine, lavender) and it states “DO NOT INGEST”, you’ll want to make for certain you do not ingest these oils and you should question your purchase.

Third Party Testing.

Third party testing keeps things honest and unbiased. Very few companies do third party testing because it is so expensive. You have to dig a bit to find out about a company’s third party testing policies but it’s worth it. A company with nothing to hide will do their own testing and send their product out to a reputable third party testing facility.

Choosing a Quality Essential Oil

In close, I just want to encourage you to think about the essential oils that you are putting on your body. If you are seeking to purchase a high quality essential oil to enhance your way of life and decrease the toxins, why would you purchase a subpar product? It just seems to defeat the purpose. When you purchase a bottle of orange juice you likely pick up a 100% orange juice not an orange juice that reads 5% juice 95% water. It wouldn’t make sense to do so and you probably wouldn’t call it orange juice if you did. Apply the same mindset to your oil purchases!